The 2021 Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, will be returning to Phoenix this weekend at the same venue where he collected his championship in 2021. The No. 5 driver closed 2021 on a high note, garnering 10 wins in a single season.
Kyle Larson has opened the season with the same winning energy, topping the odd board for the past three Cup Series races.
As we approach the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has earned another top position on the odds board as a favorite, with odds of +350. Martin Truex Jr. who will be defending his win, enters with odds of + 700.
During the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, Kyle Larson was leading with odds of +950. He went on to post a great performance in the qualifying race, winning the first pole of the season. However, during the main event, things went sideways after he was collected in a wreck on lap 190.
Kyle Larson performance since the kick-off of the NASCAR Cup Series 2022 season
After a tough season opener, placing 32nd in the Daytona 500, the next stop was in Fontana, his home state, for the Wise Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway. For the Wise Power 400, Kyle led the odds table with odds of +500.
Larson lost the pole in the qualifying race, starting the race in pole 13. Despite losing the pole, he came on strong in the main event, battling Joey Logano on the last lap before finally securing his first win of the season.
In the recently concluded Pennzoil 400, Larson was the favorite to win the race with odds of +400. Before kicking off Pennzoil 400, Kyle had a media interaction where he was asked how he felt about being a favorite for the past three weeks.
In his response, Kyle Larson stated:
“I like being the favorite. That means you’ve done a good job. But I don’t pay too much attention to it. I don’t really think that matters a whole lot because odds makers don’t really know as much as all the teams and drivers do, as far as what cars are stuff that is good at each track.”
On Sunday, Match 13th, Larson will be looking for his first Ruoff Mortgage win on the one mile tri-oval track. He was also be looking for his 18th career win, currently leading the table with 113 points and one win.